Do you know the real message behind bikers waving to each other?

Question

I read about a biker years ago wanting to send a message to the bikers coming toward him to "have a safe trip". So he decided when the next biker came along to reach out by pointing at the road. He thought this would tell them to "watch the road" and thus have a "safe ride".

Now bikers seem to be just saying hi and waving as a greeting to each other.

Any other bikers out there who have heard of this guy who started greeting another biker with a real purpose and safety message and not just "hello"? I can no longer find the story on the internet but I read it a about four years ago.

I do not wave but point down at the road, but other bikers don't know what I am trying to say. Once in awhile a biker will be clearly pointing at the road and we both know what we just communicated to each other.

If you see the wisdom in this one man who years ago wanted to send a message to his fellow bikers... pass this info on.

Answer 1

It's not that friggin serious man! It means whatever the person doing it wants it to mean. Next are you going to claim that anybody who does it for any other reason is a poser?

I give the peace sign pointing toward the other bike meaning peace and keep the rubber side down. In essence it does mean be safe but so what if others gesture means something else.

Riding is all about freedom so people can define their own gestures.

Whack story. The military story was better. You know bus drivers have the same wave. What does that mean?

Pointing down the the ground means watch out for debris. If you were in oncoming traffic and you pointed down towards me I'd think something was wrong with my tires or something else on my bike. I'd do like the other guy and pull over to visually inspect my bike. Then I'd be mad you disrupted my ride.

Answer 2

Here is the true version. In the days when the military men were coming home from the war and were still looking for the adventure that they had during war, they decided to buy motorcycles and every time they saw another rider they raised a clenched fist in the air to signify power and brotherhood. You are only supposed to point at the road if there is any kind of obstruction that you could run over.

Answer 3

I always thought that if the rider in front of me or if he is coming the opposite way I am traveling and he points down at the road it means watch out there is debrie in the road and to be aware

Answer 4

if someone did that to me id think he was making fun of me lol. sometimes when im waiting for someone in the mall or something i get someones attention and point to the ground just for some laughs to entertain myself

Answer 5

I've heard a gesture pointing down to the road means there is possible danger ahead...maybe something on the road.

Answer 6

I am a female Harley rider and the "wave" we give to each other is enjoy the breeze. The wind in your face. Just a friendly jester.

Answer 7

Here in Midwest rural America, it's very common for people in pickup trucks to "wave" to a passing person by just raising their "pointing" finger up from the steering wheel.  So is there some long winded story about that as well?  Or does it have a deeper, life changing meaning that I'm missing?

Answer 8

So, not a question but your little soapbox, hmm?  Okey dokey then.

I'll ask the eight bikers I work with and see if they can shed any light on your story.

Answer 9

If you pointed at the road I would pull my bike over to see what the problem was and then come after you for wastng my time !

A friendly wave will do thanks !!

Answer 10

Originally it was two fingers down. Keep the wheels down, or "keep the shiny side up"

.

The clenched fist was a communist symbol from the sixties.

Chicks generally don't know sh@t about  biker tradition and make it up as they go.  Women still have no status in  the  old school.

Answer 11

The real story is... about 10 years ago a Harley rider had just used the toilet and had gotten some soiled T.P. stuck to the bottom of his boot. As he was cruising  down the road his fellow bikers were trying to point it out to him, but  as they pointed at his feet, he returned the gesture by pointing back, and that's the real story of how the "wave" all started.

Answer 12

This practice dates from chivalry and mounted knights, basically one would raise his hand, palm forward to show the hand was empty, thus unarmed. It is the basis of the hand salute. Today we bikers use the wave. I still have my hand wave upward and palm forward.

Answer 13

OK, here is the real reason behind the one finger wave. As many of you know, alot of motorcycle riders back in the day stripped their bikes down of unnecessary parts, full fenders, blinkers, etc.... Because of things like no blinkers it becomes necessary to give hand signals. Well if you gave a regular wave, arm bent at 90 degrees and palm showing it can be mistaken for a right hand turn. If you gave a wave with arm extended and palm out it can be mistaken for a left hand turn. Therefore with one finger out arm slightly bent and pointing downward became the thing to do.

Answer 14

i think that the courteous wave got turned into a story, and not the other way around like you've heard it.  it happens